A game for the Windows Phone 7 Series Platform, "The Harvest" (Source: Microsoft)

(Source: Microsoft)

Graphic.ly comic book app (Source: Microsoft)

Microsoft opens up about Windows Phone 7 Series

Microsoft
really wowed the tech industry when it unveiled
Window Phone 7 Series earlier this year. Apple's iPhone has been
a dominate mainstay in the smartphone market since its introduction
in 2007 -- and there have been many competitors that have come to
market since then -- but Microsoft is really looking to turn heads
with its visuals-heavy Windows Phone 7 Series platform.

“Windows
Phone 7 Series brings together a rich application environment,
powerful hardware, a fresh approach to software and a smart new
design,” explained Joe Belfiore, corporate vice president of
Windows Phone Program Management. “It was designed to generate
incredible opportunities for developers and designers to quickly and
easily deliver compelling applications and games. With the best
developer tools, an established ecosystem and marketplace, and a path
for developers to use their Silverlight and XNA Framework skill sets,
we are delivering an application platform that is simple, powerful
and inspiring.”

In
addition, the folks from Redmond have revealed new details on the
Microsoft Location Service (MLS) which will provide apps with a
"single point of reference to acquire location information",
and the Microsoft Notification Service (MNS) which is similar in
concept to the push notifications systems on the iPhone.

The
use of the MNS means -- as far as we can tell for now -- that true
multitasking won't be available to the Windows Phone 7 Series; at
least not initially. However, this could all change between now and
the actual launch of the Windows Phone 7 Series platform later this
year. After all, Apple is rumored
to be including full multitasking in its iPhone OS 4.0 update
this summer, and that would be a big incentive for Microsoft to join
in on the fun as well.

Microsoft
has announced a wealth of free developer tools to get the ball
rolling with third-party applications for its new platform. These
tools include:

Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Express for Windows Phone

Windows Phone 7 Series add-in for Visual Studio 2010 RC

XNA Game Studio 4.0

Windows Phone 7 Series Emulator

Expression Blend for Windows Phone Community Technology Preview

Microsoft
also showed off its Windows Phone Marketplace which will be home to
apps, games, music, and podcasts. According to Microsoft, the Windows
Phone Marketplace supports "one-time credit card purchases,
mobile operator billing and advertising-funded applications."
Developers can also give potential customer the option to experience
"try before you buy" before plunking down cash on an app
that you may later regret.

Some
of the companies that have already signed on for the Windows Phone
Marketplace include the Associated Press, Pandora, PopCap Games,
Photobucket, Sling Media, Netflix, Fandango, and Fouresquare Labs. One of the more impressive demos was Netflix live TV show/movie streaming which Gizmodo has covered right here.

“As
the browser, server, Web and devices evolve, a focus on delivering
consistently great user experiences has become paramount,” said
Scott Guthrie, corporate vice president of the .NET Developer
Platform. “By extending our familiar platform technologies and
tools to phones, Microsoft is delivering the premier application
development experience across a variety of devices and form factors.”

Microsoft
appears to be firing on all cylinders when it comes to Windows Phone
7 Series. While Apple may appear to the be direct target of
Microsoft's latest efforts in the smartphone market, growing threats
like Google's Android OS had better watch out as well. In addition,
Palm's
floundering webOS devices seem to be in for some rough seas ahead
if its latest
marketshare numbers are any indication of where that platform is
heading.

"So if you want to save the planet, feel free to drive your Hummer. Just avoid the drive thru line at McDonalds." -- Michael Asher